Hundreds of NEA Volunteers Revitalize Philadelphia Area Elementary School in Annual ‘Outreach to Teach’
By
CELESTE FERNANDEZ
National Education Association
PHILADELPHIA -- More than 300 college students, teachers, retired educators, higher education faculty and education support professionals picked shovels and dug in to give a local school a much-needed facelift on June 26.
With the help of several student members of the South Dakota Education Association, the NEA Student Program’s Outreach to Teach descended on Gotwals Elementary School in Norristown, Pa., where NEA members grabbed a hammer, shovel, brush or mop to repair, landscape, paint, clean and decorate the school. Students from as far away as Hawaii participated.
The award-winning Outreach to Teach is celebrating its 12th year of community service. Each year, a high-needs public school located in the host city of the NEA Annual Meeting is selected to receive a free makeover—thanks to hundreds of NEA volunteers.
“Ensuring every child’s basic right to a great public school starts with providing children with an environment that is conducive to learning,” NEA President Reg Weaver said. “We are here today because students and school employees deserve to learn and work in clean and cheerful surroundings. Together, we must invest in our students and our public schools to give every child the opportunity to succeed in school and in life.”
Gotwals
Elementary School was built in 1966 and is named for a former teacher, Joseph
K. Gotwals, who taught in the schools from 1860 to 1872 and then was
superintendent from 1872 to 1905. Currently there are 345 students. Gotwals
has a poverty rate of approximately 90 percent with a diverse school
population: 46 percent Hispanic, 51 percent Black and 3 percent Caucasian.
“We are so excited to have Gotwals Elementary chosen for the Outreach to Teach project,” said Maryanne Hoskins, principal of Gotwals. “It has brought such a sense of excitement, energy and renewal to our school. We are grateful that the NEA recognizes the importance of providing a safe, healthy and beautiful environment for students and teachers.”
Outreach to Teach began in 1996 as a beautification project to give back to schools. Past sites have included Orlando, New Orleans, Atlanta, Chicago, San Antonio, Dallas, Compton and the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Since its inception, participation has increased by more than 1,000 percent
“It is an awesome privilege to be a part of the Outreach to Teach program,” said Anthony Daniels, NEA Student Program chair. “It brings me a tremendous amount of joy to know we are turning the page on schools that are unsafe and unhealthy. As a result, we are moving that much closer to fulfilling the pledge to provide every child with a quality education.”
“Watching
our student and retired members working together for the common good makes me
very proud to be a part of the NEA family,” said Barbara Matteson, NEA Retired
Program chair. “Providing encouragement and support to our student members
will help keep public education strong.”
Generous donations were given by Volkswagen of America, NEA Member Benefits, Pennsylvania State Education Association, Council for the Advancement of Public Schools Mideast Region, PSEA Blue Ribbon Grant Program, Education Association of Norristown Area, and Toplin & Associates.
"It's
the community. It's really amazing to see everyone out here from
different states, just working together for one purpose," said Jeffrey
Molinari from Nevada.
Nicole Hoiten from South Dakota agrees. "It's awesome, that's my word."
# # #
The National Education
Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization,
representing 3.2 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education
faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired
educators
and students preparing to become teachers.
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